


The Calm Before the Storm

by demishock



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, IgNoct, Ignoct Week, M/M, ignis has a proud, ignoctweek, noctis wants a nap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 10:58:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11690223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demishock/pseuds/demishock
Summary: Ignis and Noctis find solace between the Summit and the Rite.





	The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ignoctweek on tumblr. Day 4 prompt: "First Time."
> 
> Thanks go again to snarechan for reading this over and suggesting improvements. Any remaining errors are mine.

Noctis stepped outside First Secretary Claustra's estate and let out the breath he'd been holding since their handshake.  
   
Since he was a kid, Noctis had witnessed plenty of meetings between his father and various high-ranking visitors to Insomnia, but this had been Noctis's first time actually engaging a foreign leader on his own. To make matters worse, he'd had to do so on her home turf, putting him almost entirely at her mercy. Keeping the conversation cordial had been one of the most difficult things he'd ever had to do. He'd wanted to demand to see Luna, to see that she was safe with his own two eyes. He'd wanted to protest the Accordian army's lack of assistance with the upcoming battle. He'd wanted a hell of a lot more answers than he'd gotten.  But he'd kept his tone as level as he could manage, tried to be agreeable without being a pushover, and somehow, miraculously, he'd managed to acquire Claustra's consent to proceed with awakening Leviathan.  
   
Now, Noctis was exhausted.  
   
"Woohoo!" Prompto crowed as soon as they were out of earshot of the first secretary's guards. He pumped his fists in the air. "You're the man, Noct! I think this calls for a celebration."  
   
"We're not in the clear just yet," Gladio pointed out. "Noct may have gotten us the permission we need, but that was only half the battle."  
   
"Don't be such a spoilsport," Prompto protested, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "The point is, we _got_ the permission! And now I think we should _get_ some gelato."  
   
Gladio grinned.  
   
"All right, you _got_ me; that sounds like a plan. What says the treasury?"  
   
Everyone turned to Ignis, who inspected his wallet with a frown.  
   
"I'm afraid the price of victory may be a bit too steep," he declared after a moment.  
   
Gladio gave a grunt of disappointment.  
   
"Come ooooon," Prompto pleaded. "What else are we gonna spend it on?"  
   
Ignis raised an eyebrow.  
   
"A proper meal, for starters."  
   
"I'd settle for a proper bed," Noctis muttered, not really meaning to say it aloud.  
   
His tone gave them all pause, and he immediately regretted killing the mood. He forced a smile as best he could.  
   
"It won't be as expensive if it's just the three of you, right?" he asked, looking at Ignis. "You guys should go have some fun before all the serious stuff starts."  
   
"What about you?" Prompto asked, decidedly less buoyant than before.  
   
" _I_ am getting out of this monkey-suit and taking a nice long nap," Noctis said, motioning at his clothes. "Besides, you know I don't do mushy desserts."  
   
"Dude, gelato's not mushy."  
   
"It's mushy enough."  
   
Prompto started to pout, but changed his tune as Gladio slung an arm around his shoulders and fluffed his hair.  
   
"Hey!"  
   
"Just because His Sleepiness wants to call it quits doesn't mean the rest of us have to. Whaddya say, Iggy? The room's already paid for; think we can budget for a night out on the town?" Gladio asked as Prompto struggled to free himself.  
   
Ignis gave a long-suffering sigh.  
   
"I suppose if it's just the two of you, the expenditure would be bearable."  
   
Gladio looked at him in surprise, and Prompto took advantage of his distraction, ducking out from under his arm. Darting out of Gladio's reach, Prompto refocused his attention on Ignis.  
   
"What, you're not coming, either?"  
   
Ignis shook his head.  
   
"Independent though Accordo may be, technically it is still under Imperial command." His eyes fell on Noctis. "It wouldn't do to leave Noct on his own in enemy territory."  
   
Gladio sobered at the reminder.  
   
"You're right," he said. He turned to Prompto with an apologetic shrug. "Maybe after the rite blows over."  
   
"No," Noctis said, more forcefully than he'd intended, but he persisted as all eyes fell on him. "You guys should go. Who knows what state the city'll be in after Leviathan wakes up? Go get your ice cream while the shops are still open."  
   
" _Gelato_ ," Prompto corrected. "Big difference."  
   
"If you say so," Noctis said, rolling his eyes.  
   
"It's settled, then," Ignis said curtly. He counted out the necessary gil and handed it to Gladio. "You and Prompto take the night off. I'll remain with Noct."  
   
"Specs, I meant you, too," Noctis said, trying to keep the whine out of his voice. He couldn't stand the idea that Ignis was staying behind just to babysit him.  
   
"I'd prefer a supper with a bit more substance," Ignis replied dismissively. "There were plenty of places to eat near the Leville."  
   
"That's not what I meant, either," Noctis argued, but Ignis was already walking toward the gondola station.  
   
"Shall we?" he called over his shoulder.  
   
Noctis wanted to put up more of a fight, but he was just too tired. Giving a halfhearted wave to Prompto and Gladio in parting, he followed Ignis aboard the gondola and slumped into one of the high-backed chairs.  
   
\---  
   
"Noct? We're here."  
   
Noctis awoke with a start, looking around in confusion. He realized he must have nodded off during the ride back to the hotel. Ignis stood on the pier and, when Noctis's attention fell on him, he held out his hand. Flustered, Noctis grasped it, and Ignis hauled him to his feet. Noctis dropped his hold the moment he was on solid ground and started off in the direction of the hotel, ready to put this whole day behind him. He heard Ignis thanking the gondolier before his footsteps fell into rhythm with Noctis's own.  
   
Bypassing the front desk completely, Noctis hurried up the stairs and down the hall to their room. He rummaged in his pockets, searching for his key, but just as his fingers brushed it, the door clicked open, Ignis having beaten him to the punch. With an annoyed growl, Noctis stalked past him into the room and reached up to loosen his necktie. It felt like it was choking him and he wanted it _gone_. He balled up the offending thing and threw it at the nearest bed.  
   
Ignis entered the room and closed the door behind them, moving automatically to pick up the rumpled tie and set it someplace more appropriate. Then he turned to Noctis.  
   
"You did well today."  
   
All of the tension drained out of Noctis in an instant at the unexpected praise. He looked up at Ignis in surprise.  
   
"You think so?"  
   
Ignis approached him and placed a steadying hand on his shoulder.  
   
"Truly, Noct. You handled the negotiations with all the grace and dignity befitting a king. You've done us all proud."  
   
Noctis took a deep, shuddering breath, and Ignis withdrew to give him his space. Noctis ducked his head and raked a hand through his hair, embarrassed by Ignis's sincerity.  
   
"Well, y'know, I'm good like that…" he said, scratching the back of his neck.  
   
Ignis gave him a small, fond smile.  
   
"I guess now all that's left is the rite itself," Noctis mused aloud after a moment.  
   
"Indeed. Once you've had some rest, we should outline our plan of attack… or defense, as it were."  
   
"I really didn't want to split us all up like that," Noctis admitted, scowling. The idea of the four of them being scattered around the city in the middle of the empire's invasion left a bitter taste in his mouth.  
   
"I know. It certainly isn't ideal, but we'll make do. I sincerely doubt that the first secretary would have agreed to assist us without that allowance."  
   
"That's the impression I got, too."  
   
"You made the right decision."  
   
"I hope so."  
   
Another wave of exhaustion washed over him, then, and Noctis fumbled with the thick buttons on his suit jacket. He was ready to be rid of it. After a moment of watching him struggle, Ignis swatted his hands aside and deftly unfastened them himself. The buttons on his vest followed. Noctis stood in appreciative silence, watching Ignis work. He made everything he did look so effortless, while Noctis always just felt clumsy. He would've bet all of his Totomostro medals that if Ignis had been the one handling the negotiations earlier, they'd already have Luna in their custody, and they'd all be about to fight Leviathan together, with Accordo's army backing them.  
   
"Stop that," Ignis scolded him, without looking up.  
   
"Stop what?"  
   
"Second-guessing yourself," Ignis said, moving on to Noctis's dress shirt. He tugged the next button harder than necessary, for emphasis. "The terms are sound. You've gained the first secretary's trust and ensured Lady Lunafreya's safety. All you need concern yourself with for now is that nap you wanted. We'll deal with the rest as it comes."  
   
Noctis swallowed against the tightness in his throat. That was something else Ignis was infuriatingly good at: knowing what he was thinking even when he'd said nothing aloud. He made it sound so simple.  
   
"Believe in you who believes in me?" Noctis ventured.  
   
Ignis undid the final button and straightened, stepping back and meeting Noctis's gaze.  
   
"Precisely."  
   
Eyes stinging, Noctis shed all three layers and strode past Ignis to where he'd dumped the rest of his clothes before they'd left for the summit. He managed to hide his face momentarily as he yanked a t-shirt on over his head, trying to compose himself. He kicked off his shoes and swapped his slacks for sweatpants. When he finally turned back around, Ignis was busy arranging Noctis's discarded suit back into its garment bag.  
   
Noctis's frustration flared up again.  
   
"You could've gone with Prompto and Gladio, you know," he said. "I've got two Astrals now to make sure I don't get jumped by some Imperial goon. I can handle taking a nap on my own."  
   
Ignis gave an undignified little snort.  
   
"I'm serious!" Noctis said sharply. Then, with a bit less fervor, he added, "You deserve to have a night off once in a while, too."  
   
Ignis zipped the bag closed and pushed his glasses back up from where they'd slipped low on his nose.  
   
"Funny," he said airily. "I thought that was exactly what I was doing."  
   
Noctis gave him a pointed look. Ignis gave him one right back.  
   
"You're doing _chores_ ," Noctis said, exasperated. "This whole, big, brand new city, and you'd rather be cooped up in a hotel room with me?"  
   
"Yes."  
   
It was one simple word, spoken nonchalantly, but Noctis felt winded by it all the same. He had no idea what to say to that. He sank down on the end of the nearest bed.

Ignis moved to the door.  
   
"Now, I trust you can remain awake long enough for me to find us something to eat?"  
   
And there it was. Right back to normal, as though he hadn't just said something to take Noctis's breath away. But that was how it had been for as long as Noctis could remember. The two of them, always circling and never quite managing to be direct with each other. Noctis knew he was just as guilty of it as Ignis was, but that did nothing to ease the ache in his chest.  
   
He stood back up.  
   
"Actually, I think I'll come with you."  
   
Ignis's expression was guarded.  
   
"I thought you were too tired to venture out?"  
   
"I thought _you_ were staying near the hotel."  
   
Noctis stared him down. After a moment, Ignis folded his arms, giving Noctis a once-over. Noctis scowled, taking the hint.  
   
"Just… gimme a sec."  
   
"Of course."  
   
Noctis rummaged around in his bag, found a pair of jeans, and changed in a hurry. He turned around again and held his arms out, inviting Ignis's inspection.  
   
"Presentable enough?" he asked.  
   
"…Enough," Ignis conceded.  
   
Ignis held the door as Noctis passed into the hall, then closed it and confirmed it was locked. Before Noctis could curse over having left his own key in the room, Ignis held it out to him on his palm. Noctis rolled his eyes and swiped it, stuffing it in his pocket.  
   
They descended the stairs back into the lobby. Ignis motioned for him to wait as he went to speak with one of the Leville staff. A short conversation later, Ignis returned to his side.  
   
"It seems the fare here is fairly priced," he said. "I've been informed we may sit wherever we like among the tables outside."  
   
They meandered out the front door and picked out a spot with a clear view of the harbor between the various street vendors. The area surrounding the hotel was a busy one, and Noctis was briefly overwhelmed by all the people milling about. The sound of their chatter seemed to rise and fall in time with the waves lapping against the pier. The sun was just beginning to dip low against the horizon, and Noctis got lost in it for a moment until one of the waitstaff appeared with a cup of coffee for Ignis and a soda, which was set down in front of Noctis.  
   
Noctis blinked at the beverage.  
   
"I've already placed our order," Ignis answered his unspoken question. "An Altissian dish with a royal Lucian flair that I think you'll appreciate, once you get past the initial shock."  
   
Noctis narrowed his eyes.  
   
"It's not the vegetable kind of shock, is it?"  
   
"Not this time," Ignis assured him, before sipping his coffee. He closed his eyes for a moment with a contented hum.  
   
Noctis averted his eyes, suddenly self-conscious. This was nice. Way too nice. Insomnia was in enemy hands, Luna was in the custody of a very questionable ally, and he was sitting here in jeans and a t-shirt, watching the sun set and about to enjoy a semi-classy dinner with his best friend-slash-chamberlain-slash-advisor-slash--  
   
Noctis cut off that train of thought with a shake of his head. When he looked up again, Ignis was watching him thoughtfully. Noctis wished he'd thought to wear his hat; he felt like hiding.  
   
He was rescued a moment later as their food arrived, and despite Ignis's earlier warning, he indeed found himself staring at it in shock.  
   
He had the presence of mind to wait for the server to leave before he blurted, "What _is_ this?"  
   
" _Risotto al nero di seppia_ ," Ignis recited, looking pleased. "A local specialty made with cuttlefish, freshly caught today, I'm told."  
   
Noctis eyed it nervously.  
   
"And it's pitch black because…?"  
   
"That would be the cuttlefish _ink_."  
   
"Ah," Noctis said, relaxing somewhat. Seafood and rice. He could deal with that. He realized, now, what Ignis had meant when he'd said the dish had a 'royal Lucian flair.' It made him smile.  
   
Ignis raised his coffee cup. Noctis picked up his drink, reflexively.  
   
"To diplomacy," Ignis said proudly.  
   
"Hear, hear," Noctis murmured, clinking their glasses together. He hurried to take a sip of his soda, hoping the ice would help with the sudden rush of heat to his face.  
   
Ignis, always the more adventurous of the two when it came to food, took the first bite and nodded his approval.  
   
"Good?" Noctis asked.  
   
"Simply scrumptious," Ignis affirmed. "See for yourself."  
   
"Here goes nothing," Noctis said with some trepidation, raising a spoonful to his lips. He put it in his mouth before he could change his mind. Then he swallowed, eyes wide.  
   
"You weren't kidding; this is great!"  
   
Ignis smiled indulgently, and Noctis let out a startled laugh at the sight of it. Ignis's expression soured in an instant.  
   
"And what, pray tell, is so funny?"  
   
"Your whole mouth's turned black," Noctis said, still amused.  
   
"Ah. I suppose that's to be expected. Yours is, as well."  
   
Noctis, with a pang of nostalgia, stuck out his discolored tongue, earning him another exasperated roll of the eyes from across the table.  
   
"Don't be a child," Ignis chided, but Noctis could hear the affection in it.  
   
They ate in companionable silence for a while after that, each lost in thought. Noctis could tell, sometimes, what Ignis was thinking, but at this particular moment, he was completely at a loss. Trying to distract himself from that fruitless guessing game, he looked back out over the water. It was soothing at first, but after a few moments his thoughts drifted to his impending confrontation with Leviathan, and he quickly looked away. He tried glancing about at the other diners, talking and laughing around them, but that only made the contrast worse. He clenched his fist in his lap. Why couldn't they just have a nice, normal night out, like everyone else? Why couldn't it be like this all the time? Why did he have to drag his friends with him into his stupid 'destiny' mess? They didn't deserve any of this.  
   
"Noct?" Ignis asked gently, pulling him from the quagmire his mind had sucked him down into.  
   
"Sorry," Noctis muttered. He realized his plate was empty; he'd finished his meal on autopilot. "Think I'm ready for that nap."  
   
"I daresay it's a bit late for that now," Ignis pointed out.  
   
A distant bell tower chimed the hour, further proving Ignis's point. In his present state of mind, Noctis couldn't help feeling that the sound of the bell tolling over the water was decidedly ominous.  
   
"Just bed, then."  
   
Noctis drank down the last of his soda as Ignis settled their bill, then he stood and shuffled back to the room on Ignis's heels. He changed his clothes again, mechanically, and then, at Ignis's insistence, brushed the ink stains out of his teeth. As he collapsed at last into bed, his brain was blessedly empty. He fell asleep almost instantly.  
   
\---  
   
When Noctis shot awake, it was hours later. Heart pounding and breathing erratic, he tried to get his bearings. After a moment, the blood rushing in his ears receded enough that he was able to hear Gladio snoring from the other bed. Blinking into the darkness in the direction of the sound, he could also _just_ make out Prompto's hair, peeking over the top of the sheets. He hadn't heard them return, but knowing they were back, safe and sound, was an immediate comfort.  
   
Noctis scrubbed a trembling hand over his face, still feeling somewhat disoriented. He'd had another nightmare. Although he'd been suffering them for most of his life, they seemed to be more frequent than ever these days. He glanced to his other side, hoping he hadn't woken Ignis, only to realize that he was alone in the bed. 

Panic seized him, and a blur of motion out of the corner of his eye nearly had him reaching into the Armiger. A split second later, though, he realized that the movement was just the curtains billowing in the breeze, and he took several deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart.

Through the open window, Noctis finally spotted Ignis himself, seated out on the balcony.  
   
Noctis slid out of bed as quietly as he could and padded over to the balcony door. Ignis looked up from his phone, and in the dim glow of its screen, Noctis saw the surprise register on his face.  
   
"Apologies, Noct. Did I wake you?" Ignis asked, barely above a whisper so as not to disturb their companions.  
   
Noctis shook his head and moved out onto the balcony proper. Ignis was seated on the floor, for lack of someplace better, so Noctis slid down the wall to sit beside him in the narrow space.  
   
"A nightmare, then," Ignis surmised in the same low tone. "Are you all right?"  
   
Noctis shrugged. Was he ever? He was beginning to wonder if there even was such a thing anymore.  
   
He didn't want to burden Ignis with that line of thought, though, so he endeavored to change the subject. He leaned over to squint at Ignis's phone, then did a double-take as he realized what Ignis was up to.  
   
" _This_ is the secret to your super-OP Wizard and your maxed-out item cache?" Noctis asked incredulously, barely remembering in time to keep his voice down. "You play King's Knight while the rest of us are sleeping?!"  
   
Ignis scoffed, indignant.  
   
"Hardly."  
   
Noctis stared at him.  
   
Ignis adjusted his glasses.  
   
"…Perhaps a little bit."  
   
Noctis leaned back against the hotel wall, dumbfounded.  
   
"All this time, I thought you were playing it just to humor us. Turns out, you're a total addict."  
   
"The mindlessness of it helps me to think," Ignis protested feebly. "If you must know, I'm still trying to come up with a plan for the day of the rite."  
   
That soured Noctis's mood considerably, and dredged up a lot of the same unpleasant feelings as the nightmare he'd woken from not long ago.

He shivered.  
   
"You should be doing that during the day, with the rest of us."  
   
With a sigh, Ignis set his phone down.  
   
"Perhaps you're right."  
   
"Of course I'm right," Noctis said, with a confidence he didn't feel. "I'm the king."  
   
He could just make out the upward curve of Ignis's lips as he looked out over the harbor.  
   
"My mistake, Your Majesty."  
   
Noctis grunted, tilting his head to follow Ignis's line of sight. The stars shimmered in the sky above and the sea below, familiar and reassuring. They were brighter here than they'd been in Insomnia, but were not quite so intense as out in the wilderness of Lucis. It was a happy medium that Noctis found preferable. Between that and Ignis's steadfast presence beside him, Noctis felt more at ease than he had in a long time.  
   
He wished on every star he could see that they could stay suspended in this moment forever.  
   
Weariness slowly crept back up on him, and Noctis slouched sideways, resting his head on Ignis's shoulder. He inhaled softly and closed his eyes, curling into his warmth. He felt Ignis tense up, and thought he might pull away, but that concern was laid to rest as Ignis instead shifted to wrap his arm around him, drawing him closer. A moment later, Ignis took Noctis's hand gently in his own. Feeling so warm and safe, Noctis had to wonder if he was truly awake after all.  
   
It didn't matter, he decided.  
   
Here like this, he could almost believe that everything would turn out all right.  
   
Just this once.


End file.
